Fishermen Led. Fleet Focused.
Back to Work for California’s Commercial Fishing Fleet.
Representing California’s commercial fishing families and the coastal communities they support.
the federation
The Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations (PCFFA) has rebuilt from the ground up to represent California’s active commercial fleet. Led by working fishermen, PCFFA brings experience, credibility, and a practical voice to the fights that shape this coast’s future, from salmon and crab to every fishery that keeps our ports alive.
The Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations (PCFFA) has rebuilt from the ground up to be the voice of California’s commercial fishing fleet. PCFFA is a federation of local commercial fishing organizations from San Diego to Crescent City, led by fishermen through their port associations. We are fishermen and fishing families who work the water and call ports up and down the California coast home.
Our job is to defend access to sustainable fisheries, protect working waterfronts, and make sure decisions about the ocean reflect the people who know it best. This isn’t theoretical for us. It’s our livelihood, our identity, and our way of life.
a note on language
We use the term “fishermen” throughout this site. While our industry includes both men and women, and always has, “fishermen” is the accepted, all-inclusive term for everyone who makes their living on the water. It’s part of our name, part of our history, and it’s used proudly by the men and women leading PCFFA today.
who we are
PCFFA’s leadership reflects the modern fleet that is guiding California’s commercial fishing industry forward. Our board is made up of active commercial fishermen who, together, represent all fisheries and ports along the coast. Working fishermen, together with an executive director deeply connected to the fleet, make PCFFA strong, accountable, and focused on results that matter to working people and the future of this coast.
what we stand for
PCFFA has been rebuilt to be accountable to the fleet and to carry its voice wherever fisheries management decisions are made. We bring the commercial fishing mindset that is practical, steady, and focused on real solutions to everything we do. This fight is about the future, making sure the next generation, whether born to this life or drawn to it, can still make a living from honest work on the ocean.
why it matters
California’s commercial fishing fleet faces increasing pressure from complex and often unbalanced regulations. When boats are tied up, the ports and communities that depend on them begin to fade. Imported seafood fills the gap, much of it produced without the standards California fishermen have sacrificed to uphold. Keeping this fleet working means protecting honest food, good jobs, and the future of our working coast.
where we work
From Crescent City to San Diego, PCFFA is built by working fishermen from every California port. They bring firsthand knowledge from the water that shapes how we speak for the fleet. PCFFA carries that experience into the rooms where decisions are made and makes sure fishermen are represented, and respected.
PCFFA at work for the California Commercial Fleet
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Policy & Access
Commercial fishing is work that feeds people and supports communities , but it’s getting harder to hang onto. Regulations complile, and each new mandate adds pressure to the commercial fleet while imported seafood fills the gap with fish caught without California’s environmental or labor protections. California’s fisheries are well-managed and producing healthy wild protein, yet fishermen are asked to give up more access, more seasons, and more time on the water with little accountability for conservation outcomes. PCFFA works to defend working access to the ocean, push for science-driven decisions, and make sure California seafood is caught here, by the people who have built their lives around this work.
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Dungeness Crab
The Dungeness crab fishery is built on tough work, tight weather windows, and a season that can make or break a year. Season timing of the opener shapes everything from crew schedules to dinner menus. The crab population itself is healthy and well-managed. The challenge now is navigating a management system that centers on whale-risk timing rather than crab abundance. That means delays, early closures, and uncertainty for every part of the supply chain. PCFFA is working to make regulations reasonable, data-driven,and grounded in practical input from the fleet. It is our mission to safeguard access and opportunity, so California’s Dungeness crab fishery remains viable, iconic, and feeding our communities.
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California Salmon
For the fleet, salmon isn’t just a fishery. It’s work passed down through generations. When the season is open, the fleet and the community feel it. When it’s closed, the loss ripples through boats, ports, and the businesses tied to them. The fish haven’t disappeared, but the systems that once supported reliable ocean abundance aren’t doing their job. PCFFA is focused on rebuilding harvest opportunity by improving the conditions salmon need in the rivers and hatcheries so more fish make it back to the ocean and into the hands of working fishermen. The goal is simple: a real salmon season, and the chance to make a living from it and give the next generation of commercial fishermen a future on the water
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